Hedden wins at Fast Fridays

Michael Kirby/Auburn JournalBryce Starks (R) gets inside of Billy Janniro in a scratch heat race. Starks won the Division I handicap main event later in the evening with a commanding ride.

Michael Kirby/Auburn JournalBryan Yarrow kept Tommy Hedden honest in the Division I scratch main event with a strong second place finish.

Michael Kirby/Auburn JournalBob Hicks won the second spot in the Challenge Elimination Series championship Friday night beating Billy Janniro in final two lap race.

Michael Kirby/Auburn JournalAuburn's Tommy Hedden won the Division I scratch main event, his first of the season.

Michael Kirby/Auburn Journal(L-R)Tommy Hedden, Billy Janniro, and Bart Bast draw lanes before the start of the Division I scratch main event Friday night at Fast Fridays. Hedden ended up winning the race after beating Bryan Yarrow who finished second at the finish line by inches.

Michael Kirby/Auburn Journal(L-R)Tommy Hedden, Billy Janniro, Bart Bast and Bryan Yarrow line up for the start of the Division I scratch main event. Hedden, though out of the outside lane four, won the race his first scratch main event win of the 2012 season.

Friday it was Auburn?s Tommy Hedden that could claim the fastest man of the night at the Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn at the Gold Country Fairgrounds.
Hedden scored his first Division I scratch main win of the season and had his work cut out for him facing some strong competition in the night?s final race. Pulling up to the start line, Hedden faced 2011 national champion Billy Janniro, Bryan Yarrow, and Bart Bast.
Out of the outside lane four, Hedden got a good gate and from high on the track maneuvered to the inside and in front by turn two. It was Yarrow right behind him who gave chase riding on Hedden?s tail with Bast following closely in a three-man race. Janniro, suffering from bike problems all night, was forced to ride most of the night on a borrowed machine and followed the action a bike length behind. Hedden, Yarrow, and Bast raced a couple feet from each other in an exciting display of skilled riding for the final three laps.
Yarrow attempted a few moves on Hedden but Hedden skillfully held him off, owning the inside lane. A last-second gutsy move at the finish line by Yarrow had the crowd on their feet, but his efforts fell short and Hedden took the flag by inches. Bast followed in third and Janniro finished fourth.
Auburn?s Bryce Starks, won the Division I handicap main event. The 20-year-old Starks, riding off the 30-yard line was undefeated in the handicap program and finished ahead of second place finisher Bob Hicks. Bast finished third.
The second installment of the Challenge Elimination Series was staged Friday night and Bob Hicks earned a spot in the Challenge Elimination championship which will take place Aug. 31 at Fast Fridays. Hicks came out on top in the one-lap races against Billy Janniro, Bryan Yarrow, Alex Marcucci and Greg Hooten. Hicks faced Janniro in the final two-lap race, grabbing the second spot and joining round one winner Hedden in the championship round.
Auburn?s Chris Casey is on a roll in Division II, again winning the main event. Casey repeated his last week?s victory, coming out on top of Danny Turner who finished second and George Snodgrass who finished third.
Rachalle Kerr was noticeably absent as she is still recovering in the hospital from injuries suffered in a crash last week.
?We think that she might be released from the hospital on Monday or Tuesday, that?s what the doctors are saying,? said Rachalle?s brother and Fast Fridays rider Chris Kerr.
The Division III main event was won by Nick Dion, Kevin Smith was second and Shane Szuh was third. Luke Becker again took the checkered flag in the Youth A main event, and Joseph Hernandez finished second. Landon Norton was first in the Youth B main event and Logan Hedden was second.